The prior art includes several devices which function both as beverage holders and as flying toys. For example, a patent to McMahon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,922 teaches a cylindrical insulating container which can be used as a flying toy. The McMahon device includes separate inner and outer cylinders between which is sandwiched a weighted ring to provide aerodynamic stability. The patent to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,709 teaches a cylindrical insulator/flying toy including a nose element for locating the center of gravity between 25% and 38% from the leading edge of flight. Johnson also teaches the use of spokes in the inner space of the insulator. A patent to Hill, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,788 teaches an aerial toy with a peripheral, though nonstreamlined, ring at the leading edge with a ratio of leading edge weight to trailing edge weight resulting in a center of gravity located between 27.3% and 31% of the distance from front to back of the device. A patent to Morrow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,776 discloses a cylindrical aerial toy having weighted means such that the center of gravity is approximately 1/3 (331/3%) of the distance from the front of the device to the rear of the device and achieving its aerodynamic properties, in part, from rotation in flight. Ethridge, U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,923 discloses a flying toy device in which the weight of the leading end portion to the weight of the trailing end portion is substantially equal to 2.5, that is the center of gravity is approximately 28.6% of the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge. Other patents of interest are:
______________________________________ Patentee Patent No. ______________________________________ Miller 5,099,898 Gordon 4,383,422 Ventimiglia 4,534,391 Byrns 4,671,424 Cudmore 4,390,148 Klahn 4,151,674 Flatau 3,982,489. ______________________________________
If an axisymmetric throwing/flying toy is spun about its axis of symmetry, the gyroscopic effects will add to the stability of the device. This can make a normally unstable device stable. One example is a football which has its center of gravity at 50%. The devices of the prior art are normally statically unstable, having a combination of too much mass for the small aerodynamic stabilizing forces that can be generated, incorrect location of center of gravity and improper leading edge design. As a consequence, they cannot be stably projected without a high rate of spin. Because of the unique combination of shape and position of the center of gravity, the devices of the present invention, however, have strong built-in static stability which makes spin unnecessary.
The present invention is a combined ring wing/beverage container wrap insulator which exhibits superior static stability flying characteristics even when thrown with little or no spin. Its light weight and optimally fixed center of gravity thus make it particularly easy for children or persons unused to or unskilled at throwing to achieve very satisfying flight patterns. The soft front end and the low mass make the device significantly less dangerous on impacting people or objects. The device also floats well making it particularly suitable for use in water sports. It always floats high with its axis vertical so that it can be readily seen in the water. In addition, the device provides excellent insulation for the beverage can and holds the bottom of the beverage can off surfaces upon which the device is placed and thus acts as a coaster. In brief, the arrangements in accordance with the principles of the present invention exhibit a superior extended floating flight path, are easy to throw, are easy to catch, are light and unlikely to hurt an unprotected hand, have a desirable "squishy" feel, maintain a long flight path and are effective thermal insulators.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example, the principles of the present invention.